HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS GIVE SUNFLOWER PINS AS KINDNESS

Marilyn Sedgwick couldn't help but smile as she handed out handcrafted sunflower pins Tuesday to passing shoppers in Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

"You can't be grumpy and do this," she said .

She was one of about 10 Southeast Hospice volunteers who handed out 2,000 sunflower pins in and around Cape Girardeau in the space of a couple of hours. In addition to the mall, pins were handed out at Wal-Mart and other places in Cape Girardeau, and in Bollinger County.

Hospice volunteers annually make and distribute the sunflower pins in celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Week.

Last year, volunteers gave away more than 600 in hopes of brightening people's day. About 200 pins were distributed in 1998.

This year the volunteers decided to hand out 2,000 to celebrate Kindness Week in the new millennium.

"It's a fun thing to do," said Sedgwick, holding a basket full of colorful sunflower pins created from fabric.

"I think this is a surprise to everybody we talk to," she said.

The free pins brought smiles to the faces of strangers.

Many people expressed surprise that they weren't being asked for a donation in return for the pins, said volunteer Emma Olson.

"They can't believe we are giving something away out of kindness," she said.

Carol Keppler, coordinator of volunteers for the hospice program, said the sunflower pins have become the Southeast Hospice trademark Random Act of Kindness.

"Even the men are wearing them," she said as she sat on a bench in the mall's Center Court. "I think that is kind of neat."

Roy Anderson of Perryville sat down on the bench by Keppler as he waited for his wife to finish shopping.

Keppler handed him one of the sunflower pins. "It is great," a surprised Anderson said of the free pin. He said he would give the pin to his wife.

Angela Shaw moved to Cape Girardeau about a month ago. "I think that is very nice," she said after her children, 18-month-old Kip Shaw and 3-year-old Hannah Shaw, received sunflower pins while walking through the mall.

Hospice volunteer Jo Dunbar made about 100 sunflower pins. She spent part of her day handing out pins to shoppers.

The flower pins proved popular. "Most people are very receptive to it," she said.